Officer W. Roy Thornton, Dallas Police Department, Texas

Officer W. Roy Thornton

Dallas Police Department, Texas

End of Watch Wednesday, January 12, 1916

W. Roy Thornton

Officer W. Roy Thornton was shot and killed while arresting a man for a misdemeanor. Another officer arrived and asked if he needed help. At the same moment a friend of the arrestee arrived and opened fire with a 10 gauge shotgun, striking both officers. Officer Thornton was killed and the other officer was wounded. The man escaped and was never captured.

Officer Thornton had been with the agency for two years and was survived by his wife. He is buried in Provence Cemetery east of Ardmore, Oklahoma.

Bio

Age 27
Tour 2 years
Badge 115

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun; 10 gauge
Offender Escaped

Most Recent Reflection

View all 5 Reflections

Officer Thornton was one of the first, if not the first, of a too-long line of Dallas Police Officers just doing their jobs who lost their lives in so doing..

Rest in Peace, Sir. We have the watch.

Det. Douglas Collins Ret.
Dallas Police Dept.

January 12, 2016